Portable building



N v. 8, 1 c. R. FLEMING-WILLIAMS 2,363,765

PORTABLE BUILDING Filed Sept. 2, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1944- c. R. FLEMING-WILLIAMS 2,363,765

PORTABLE BUILDING Filed Sept.

, .1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 //v VE/V 70/? C. R. FLEMING-WILLIAMS PORTABLE BUILDING 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 2, 1941 Fig.2

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0? ATZPMEK ual sections taper upwardly.

Patented Nov. 28, 1944 l Clifford Roger Fleming-Williams, deceased, ,late

of Hayes, 'Middlesex, England, by Kathrin Winifred "Fleming-Williams, executrix, Cranford, England, assignor to Car Cruiser Caravans Limited, Hayes; Middlesex, EnglanrLa company of Great Britain 1 Applicationlseptember 2, 1941, Serial No. 409,310

h In Great Britain September 25, 1940. h -2 ClaimsL (o1. 109-1), This invention comprises improvements in or relating to portable buildings and has for its object to provide a simple form of such a buildlng which is proof aganist bullets and bomb and huts for military andlike purposes.

According to thisinvention, a portable building is constructed with inner and outer ,walls spaced from eachother and the space between these Walls is charged with shingle or granite chips. f

s This building is suitably made in sections of 'boxor case-like naturefilled with the shingle or granite chips and it is preferable for the sectionsto comprise both roof and wall partsso that the fitting together of the sections simultanee shell splinters and is advantageously suitable for ously produces wall and roof anda complete.

building is very quickly assembled. l l I Portablebuildings of the above nature may obviously be of many and varied constructionsand by way of exampledescription will now be "given of some advantageous practical constructions of sectional form which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In these drawings- Figure 1 is an elevation of a construction 6f building which is octagonal in plan.

walls or skins are spaced sayfi apart.

ends of elongatedformssof building. such as shown in Figures 5 and 6 and described 'hereinafter, and it will .be useful to refer to the sectional'plan view in Figure 6 in order the better to explain the construction of such sections. In

Figure 6, the sections shown byA :are similar to l the sections 0 the building shown in Figures1to4." l

The said sections, asshown, are of boX- or case-like construction and comprise inner and outer, walls or skins, 3, 4, respectively, 1 on a heavy wooden framework composed say of 6" X 2' section timbers 5, Figures 2 and 6, so that the The spacingmay,0f course, be varied upto 8 or more but it should preferably be not less than 6 At the side edges of the wall parts of the sections the timbers 5 are constructed and set so that these side edges areof bevelledln'atureand Figure Zis a section on the line I I-"-II of Figure 1. l l l i s s Figure 3 is a fragmental section of a window taken on the line III.III0f;Figure 1. s s s Figure 4 is a perspective view of a shutter for awindow. flFigure-5 is an elevation of another construe-f tion of building which is of elongated form and of i the nature, in appearance, of amarquee. v Figure 6 is a sectional plan of Figure 5. s

Figure 'lisa sectional elevation of a cowl or ventilatorfor the buildings, and. 1 1 s Figure 8 is a section on the line VIII-VIIIof Figure'l. l

fit together on adjacentsectionsisee Figure 6). In addition to the frame timbers 5 at the several edges of the sections there may also be intermediate timbers for purposes of increased strength. Thusjfor instance, there may bea central timber 6, Figure 6, extending upwardly in both the wall and roof parts 1, 2; respectively of the sections." In one or more sections for instance as shown in the central section of Figure 1 or the central section at the left-hand end 1 tended about the door opening as indicatedin Figure 6.. The spaced walls or skins 3,4 of the sections may be of one-piece form or sectional.

The construction illustrated by Figure s l, to l and which is of the nature of an octagonal hut, is

composed mainly of eight sections of similar dimensions each embodying integral wall and roof parts l and 2 respectively. As willbe seen from the figures the walls of thehut, composed of,

the parts I, mayslope inwardly from the bottom that both the wall and roof parts of the individ- They are shown built up on the timbers 5, 6 from boards which may be of tongue and groovetype.

As will be apparent, the side and central timbers of the roof parts of the hut sections extend upwardlyat anangle in sideview to those of the wall parts of the sections and continuous spaces exist' between the timbers from the top of the h roof parts to the bottom of the wall parts. The I roof parts may extend to apoint or have a trun- "cated upperend asshown. When the hut is as indicated at 8, {and toenable this material to be introducedremovable panels 9, secured It may be mentioned at this point thatsimilar sections canbe used in the construction of the by plates Illscrewedto the frame timbersf5 or -5 and 6, are suitably, provided at the upper and 'lower ends of the roof parts. If desired, the

panels may be slidably or hingedly mounted with the upper. panel suitably sliding or hinging downwardly. andthe lower one upwardly. It is important that the hut sections should be transportable for erection on a fresh site when desired and therefore one or more further removable panels ll, secured by plates ID as before, is or are provided at the bottom of the wall part of the sections for allowing the sections to be emptied of their charge of shingle or granite chips. These panels ll could, of course, be hingedly mounted and adapted say to hinge downwardly.

Openings such as l2 for ventilation or for windows l3, may be provided in the wall or roof parts of the sections and these preferably are made of inverted triangular shape so as to allow the shingle or granite chips to flow all round them when charging the sections and thus avoid the formation of empty pockets. As an example, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the hut may have such openings in alternate sections and if these sections have central timbers '6 as aforesaid, the latter in the wall parts I, wouldsuitably extend from the bottom timber 5 of the framework to the apex of timber frameworks,

such as i311 in Figure 3, which frame the triangular openings. In any section having adoorl, the rectangular opening formed by the "frame timbers 5 to accommodate the door, may be made large enough also to accommodate a lif'table flap M which can be swung upwardly and then held open by a chain l5 anchored to the roof part of such section and engaged with a hook it on the flap. The door or doors and the flap or flaps may be mounted by hinges having removable pins I1 and the door or doors may have internal and external handles it, and be secured by fastenings of any suitable or known form such as is shown at 59. The door or doors and the flap or flaps as shown are of boxor case-like nature similar to the hut sections and are also filled with shingle or granite chips. They may also have removable panels '(not shown) on the inside for insertion and/ or emptying of the shingle or granite chips as will be understood. At one edge of the door opening or openings the timber 5 and the corresponding timber of the door frame may be set at an incline in cross-section, as shown in Figure 6, so as conveniently to provide a stop to the door or doors on closure. The windows [3 are preferably ofthick, bullet-proof glass, but if desired, shutters in the form of triangular wooden boxes l9, Figure 4, furnished with a handle 20,

rendering the roof weather-tight it is suitable to provide a removable canvas or other waterproof cover 22 for the roof of the hut and this cover, which is shown broken away part y in Figure 1, may also be extended wholly or partly i the upper end truncated as referred to a hole will and charged with shingle or granite chips, may

additionally be provided for fitting into the openings E2 on the inside of the hut for further protection. Or only a light wooden shutter need be used if only black-out purposes are to be served.

In assembling the sectional building or hut, the several sections, in empty condition, are fitted together to form the complete octagonal structure and are then suitably bolted or otherwise secured together through the side timbers 5, of the framework of both the roof and wall parts, for instance bolting may be done at the bottom of the wall parts i and at the top and bottom of the roof parts 2, as .at 2! in Figure 2. As the sections are tapered and the side edges of the wall parts of the sections are bevelled, the sections fit together very closely and in effect each section forms a key to the next, the bolting imparting further strength. The appropriate panels reities of the sections are entirely filled they are replaced. The other panels allow of emptying when it is desired to move the structure. For

appear at the apexof the roof of the erected hut and this maymerely be covered by the waterproof cover 22 ,or, as shown in Figures 1 and 2,

a board 25 maybe fitted at the bottom of the hole and the latter then filled up with shingle or granite chippings as at 2B and the whole covered over and retained by the cover 22. The joints between the sections may be covered on the inside of the hut by wooden or other strips 21, as shown in Figure 2, to keep out the weather. A floor 28 may also be arranged in the hut as shownin Figure 2.

It will be understood that in accordance with the invention h'uts may be made of other shapes in. plan than octagonal, for instance hexagonal or circular, by appropriate construction of the sections. Moreover and as shown by Figures 5 and 6, for example, the sectional construction 7 enables buildings or huts of elongated form in plan to be provided by erecting certain of the sections at one place and others at another place, as at A, A, A, and A, A, A, in Figure 6, and joining the two sets by other sections, such as halfsize sections B and sections C of non-tapering form, to provide sides for the elongated hut, these half-size and non-tapering sections each suitably comprising wall and roof parts I, 2 respectively like the tapering sections (except that the sections C would be constructed to meet at the ridge of the roof), and being charged with shingle or granite chips. Other parts in Figures 5 and 6 which are similar to parts shown in Figures 1 .to 4, are numbered similarly to the latter parts, but it may be mentioned that Figures 5 and 6 illustrate two modifications which may usefully be adopted if desired. One of these modifications is the employment of diamond-shaped ventilation openings or windows at 2'9 .and the other relates to the use of ventilators or cowls at 3B. 7 Both modifieations may be adopted in other constructions of hut herein referred to.

As will be realised, in regard to the firstof the saidmodifications, the diamondshape of ventilation or window openings presents similar advantage to' the inverted triangular form of Figures 1 and 2 as regards avoidance of empty pockets in the shingle or granite chip fillings of the sections.

34fitted with a series of louvre-like strips 35 on opposite sides thereof. The form of base 3| shown isintended for fitting the hole in the roof of a but such as is shown in Figures 1 and-2 and it would be suitably modified if necessary in other cases as willbe understood. Its ends appear cut at anincline at 36 so that it wedges tightly in the strips 31 on the interior for resting it on the up- As will have been realised, the invention pro- 3 vides an advantageous construction of portable building or hut, the basic principle of which is the introduction of shingle or granite chips between inner and outer walls or skins and which can be introduced after the hut is erected for preference and when it is strengthened suflicient- 1y to stand the heavy load. The shingle or granite chips render the walls proof against bullets and shrapnel and the structure is firm and solid, so that the building is very favourable for military and like purposes, particularly if a building is required to house wireless gear or other valuable or delicate apparatus. Moreover, the

sections can be quickly filled and emptied without altering the structure of the sectionsand the cover 22 is easily removable so that erection and dismantling of the huts orbuildings is readily effected. Where ventilation or window openings are provided they would preferably be arranged in the upper part of the walls or inthe roof, as

shown in the drawings for instance to minimise danger from flying bullets or bomb or shell splinters.

It may bementioned that apart from the protection offered against flying bullets, splinters and the like by the thickness of the layer of shingle or granite chips filled into the sections and the hardness and relatively high resistance of the shingle or granite chips to penetration, the shape of the shingle or granite chips, with either rounded or flat surfaces capable of exerting i 'a deflecting effect on bullets and other missiles,

aflords further protection. It has been found that a six-inch layer of shingle will resist even.

armour-piercing bullets and in fact buildings in general in accordance withthe invention can be 1 made more bullet and shock proof than solid concrete buildings and yet are demountable practically without the use of tools. The great weight hole of the roof. The hood part 34 comprises per end of the duct part 32, andlever-headed I l ried by the sections presents no undue disadvantage because the sections incline inwards and automatically lock themselves together like keystones or press one against another to take or balance the weight.

shown in Figures 5 and 6, may be made of greater length if desired by adding extra non-tapered sections, such as C, thereto.

What is claimed is: i x

l. A portable building comprising sections of boxlike nature each embodying inner and outer i walls of wood and a bordering wooden framework to which "said wall parts are fixedly attached spacedfrom each other and providing a closed space within said framework and between said walls, a filling of loose stony material in said space of each of said sections, readily removable parts at upper and lower'parts of each. of said l sections to facilitate filling and emptying respectively .of said loose stony material into and I from said space, said sections being of similar outline each comprising a unitary structure embodying side wall and roof parts of which the roof part tapers upwardly and is truncated at the top -end so that a hole bounded by such end of theseveral sections is formed at the apex of .the roof,-and means for supporting a filling of loose stony material in said hole.

.2. A portable building. comprising sections of box-like nature each embodying inner and outer walls of wood and a bordering wooden framework to which said wall parts are fixedly attached spaced from each other and providing a closed space within said framework and between said walls, a filling of loose stony material in said space of each of said sections, and readily removable parts at upper and lower parts of each l of said sections to facilitate filling and emptying respectively of said loose stony material into and from said space, said sections being of similar outline each comprising a unitary structure embodying side wall and roof parts of which-the side wall part tapers upwardly and inclines inwardly of the building and the roof part tapers upwardly from the top of the wall part and also inclines inwardly of the building, whereby the several sections when assembled and filledby the loose stony material bear inwardly one towards another; on the opposite side of the building.

WINIFRED FLEMING-WILLIAMS,

of the shingle or granite chips required to be car- Executrix of t e Estate of Clifford Roger Flemmgr-Williams, Deceased. 

